“Ahí está!”—”There it is!” South of Yuma, Arizona, 30-foot-tall pillars rise against the desert sky. A construction crew is erecting a towering border wall. The U.S. government hopes the new wall will reduce the flow of immigrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

President Donald Trump and his administration intend to build 450-500 miles of fencing along the nearly 2,000-mile border by the end of 2020. The wall is funded by billions of defense dollars originally meant for things like military base schools, target ranges, and maintenance facilities.

Two other projects in New Mexico and Arizona are underway too. But some people doubt that so many miles of wall can be built in such a short amount of time. The government is up against last-minute construction hiccups, funding issues, and legal challenges from environmentalists and property owners whose land sits on the border.

Last year, the number of migrant families who cross the border illegally in the Yuma area increased. Many are fleeing extreme poverty and violence. Some are seeking asylum. So far this year, Yuma Border Patrol agents have apprehended over 51,000 family units—compared with just over 14,500 the year before.

“Historically, this has been a huge crossing point for both vehicles as well as family units and unaccompanied alien children,” Border Patrol spokesman Jose Garibay says. “They’ve just been pouring over the border due to the fact that we’ve only ever had vehicle bollards and barriers that by design only stop vehicles.”

Victor Manjarrez Jr., a former Border Patrol chief, was an agent when the government put up the first barriers. He says tall border fencing is crucial in some areas and less helpful in others. He says, “One form doesn’t fit in all areas, and so the fence itself is not the one solution. It’s a combination of many things.”

(Government contractors erect a section of Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River in Yuma, Arizona, Tuesday, September 10, 2019. AP Photo/Matt York)

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Finally!

They're finally building it! I was wondering when that was going to happen. Hopefully, this will encourage families trying to find a safe place to do it legally. It's going to be a big wall though! I hope they get it all done... Do y'all think they will?

LP

I wish there was a better way

I wish there was a better way to handle this situation. I mean, there isn't any guarantee that the border wall will get finished, and just think how much stuff the money going towards the border wall would have paid for. And those poor immigrants...

@Janna G.

You may want to lower your expectations a little bit.
Building a wall would have an impact on the number of illegal immigrants, however it wouldn't even come close to stopping all of them. After all, roughly 40% of illegal immigrants enter the US on planes.

Karisma S

^I think this is a good thing that they're putting up this wall. The problem with immigrants is confusing. Mexican people aren't "bad". But they shouldn't be crossing illegally into America. Also, they can get stuff like social security for free while we have to pay for it. They're taking the benefits of being a citizen without actually paying for it.

I agree

Most people in this thread have actually good knowledge of whats going on, No Spanish, mexicans, ETC arn't bad people, they become bad people when they cross into our country illegally and become a threat. No not all of them are ''threats'' in the traditional sense. But they're all threats to our parents, in the sense of getting free health care, getting payed thousands of dollars for just breathing, they're getting payed our parents tax dollars and thats when it becomes a threat, I do feel bad, but if its just like enter legally, and maybe you can STAY away from the violence.

I hope this works

Well I hope this works, because if it doesn't work we have wasted a lot of money and time. If i had the choice i would do something else apart from THE WALL.
Even though coming in illegally isn't good maybe there is another way to handle this situation. To be honest This is a good idea but I wish there was any other way

O wow. They have started

WOW

It's great that president Trump has built the wall, but at the same time I wish it could be done differently or that there was a better way to do it. Because building a wall creates anger with the other country and they will try to even break down the wall, so in the long run I don't see for how long it will work.

To everybody

These past two years, I have been competing in competitive speech and debate for Christians and private homeschoolers only. It's a huge organization called STOA USA. Have any of you ever heard of it? This year, the debate case is should we as a country value simulation over multiculturalism. I think this has to do a lot with this article!

lets dump trump over that

this is not a good idea

I think the border is a bad idea, yes a wall can stop people on the ground but there is many other ways you can get into America and if your trying to get rid of illegal immigrants, the wall is only getting rid of a fraction of illegal immigrants this wall is taking out people coming in from the south but no ware else, and its costing us Americans tax money for a wall, in history walls have done little, The Great Wall of China, it was to stop invaders but it was useless when the Mongolians found a way around, the wall was useless, and the Berlin Wall, that one didn't last long and it was a flop, and now this one costing billions of military money for a wall that will do nothing compared to the hole problem.

@Nadia: That is SUCH a good

@Nadia: That is SUCH a good point! I met someone from an organization called TeenPact (have any of you heard of that before?) and they were doing a prayer walk in the capital of Indiana, outside of the Govener's office, and Pence came out and joined the group in praying. That would be really cool to have a Christian in the President's chair, and it's soooo good to have him as a vice-president!

NA

To above

It's a government program for

It's a government program for teens, and it's very hands on, and Christian. You learn about the government, and it's a four day class. You go to the Capital of your state for it. (That was not very clear explaining.) But it's really fun, and I totally recommend it. It's in most of the states, I think.

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